New Report Shows Unintentional, Systemic Bias in Philadelphia Property Assessments Today, Community Legal Services of Philadelphia (CLS) announced the publication of a new report, “Examining the Accuracy, Uniformity & Equity of Philadelphia’s 2023 Real Estate Tax Assessments.” The report, commissioned by CLS, and researched and authored by the Reinvestment Fund, in partnership with CLS and…
In 2023, over 330,000 Pennsylvanian households had their gas, electric, or water shut off because they could not afford to pay – and nearly 25% of Pennsylvanians reported foregoing food, medicine, and other basic needs to keep up with utility costs.[1] Chapter 14 of the Public Utility Code creates unreasonable challenges for low and…
If your grandchild is in your care and lives in your home, your grandchild or grandchildren can receive a cash assistance grant of $205 a month ($316 for two children and $403 for three children) just for the grandchildren. Your income does not get counted. You can work or get social security or have savings.…
This year ushers in the 35th anniversary for Community Legal Services’ Bar Campaign. That’s 35 years where Philadelphia area law firms have stood together to advance access to justice for our neighbors who are struggling to get by. 35 years is more than just a number; it’s an important milestone that demonstrates that Philadelphia’s entire…
“It makes you feel defeated and hopeless. It’s like you feel stuck. You have no help and nowhere to turn to all because of something that happened years ago,” said Jennifer Lee, a mother of two who was evicted in 2015. Since the start of the pandemic, Pennsylvania landlords have filed more than 280,000 evictions.…
Last year, Philadelphia released new “assessments” of property values, which are used to calculate property tax bills. If your assessed value went up, your property taxes will, too. Based on the current tax rate, for every $10,000 in increased value, your yearly tax bill will go up by $140. If you think your…
In Pennsylvania, a 70-year-old law is exacerbating barriers to employment for people with criminal histories. The Private Detective Act imposes a strict lifetime ban on working in the security industry—including as unarmed guards found in many stores and businesses—for anyone with most criminal convictions, well after they have served their sentence. On June 27th, two…
None of us can afford climate change, but the costs are even higher for Black and Brown people, cities, rural communities, and low-income families. PA must allocate permanent state supplemental funding to make LIHEAP available year round. Summer of 2022 was one of the hottest summers on record in Pennsylvania’s history, and temperatures will only…
PA House Votes 189-14 to Expand Clean Slate to Felony Records! On June 5, 2023, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives voted 189-14 in support of Clean Slate 3.0! House Bill 689 expands Clean Slate automated record sealing to drug felonies and property felonies. If the bill passes the Pennsylvania Senate and the Governor signs it…
On April 26, 2023, CLS and a bipartisan coalition of criminal justice advocates and state lawmakers went to Harrisburg to support House Bill 689, the next expansion of Clean Slate. Just one week later, the House Judiciary Committee unanimously voted H.B 689 out of committee on May 3rd! If passed into law, Clean Slate 3.0…
